The invention relates to bilge pumps, particularly multi-pump systems with automatic activation means.
The hulls of recreational and commercial water vessels typically have one or more critical low areas. Such areas are prone to collect water which may either be leaked into the vessel through the hull or dripped down to the bottom of the vessel from the deck areas. Clearly any excess accumulation of such water poses a significant threat to the seaworthiness of the vessel and exposes the occupants to the perils of the sea. The present invention teaches an apparatus useful in controlling and minimizing this peril.
A number of inventions teach the control of liquid or fluid levels within a tank, pump, bilge of a vessel, or other areas in which fluid levels may be significant. Most such devices incorporate a fluid detection means, a pump control means, and one or more pumps. Some of the more recent technology is taught in the patents which are listed below:
3,772,531 Webb et al. 11/13/73 PA1 3,916,213 Lutheran 10/28/75 PA1 3,922,564 Kachuk et al. 11/25/75 PA1 4,205,237 Miller 5/27/80 PA1 4,222,711 Mayer 9/16/80 PA1 4,551,068 Boudreaux 11/5/85 PA1 4,600,844 Atkins 7/15/86 PA1 4,678,403 Rudy et al. 7/7/87 PA1 1. automatic control of bilge pumping within critical bilge areas; PA1 2. emergency back up switching means; PA1 3. control panel lights to communicate to the observer which bilge areas require and are receiving bilge pumping; PA1 4. emergency alarm indicators, including remotely located ones, to protect the integrity of the system; PA1 5. isolation of control systems from pump power sources; and PA1 6. test circuity to ensure that all systems, including the alarm and back up systems, are functioning properly.
Some of these patents teach systems of keeping the fluid between given desired levels. One example of such a system is U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,844 issued to Atkins on July 15, 1986. Atkins has a detector at the lowest desired level and a detector at the highest desired level. Circuitry is provided to keep the fluid level within these extremes by switching pumps on when the upper level is exceeded and turning off when the lower level is achieved.
Another such patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,237, issued to Miller on May 27, 1988, teaches a means of allowing for instantaneous changes in the water level as a result of wave or ripple motion. It comprises a time delay means to ensure that the water level detected by the fluid detection means is a true one and not simply the result of an aberrant peak or trough of a wave.
Other systems have been devised to teach methods and apparatus for ready ascertainment of the status of bilge pumps and fluid levels within bilge areas. One such patent is U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,456 issued to Gardeen on Nov. 10, 1987. It teaches a control panel which will readily tell the observer which bilge pumps are on and whether the bilge pumps are on as a result of moderately high or very high water within the given bilge area. Gardeen also provides a test circuit in order to ensure that the control lights are working. Similarly, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,432 issued to Mannino on June 26, 1984, teaches an emergency pumping and alarm warning system. It teaches an auxiliary pump along with a system for providing visual and audio warnings when the back up emergency system is activated.
With respect to the bilge areas of a water vessel there are a number of common shortcomings in the presently available automated pumping systems. These include the electroplating of fluid detection probes as a result of the use of direct current (DC) fluid detectors, the lack of a comprehensive alarm and backup system which will both activate the pumps and warn the boater, the requirements for the boater to physically check the bilge pumps, and the lack of isolation between the detection/activation circuits and the pump circuits.
What is needed and not provided by these prior art patents is a single integrated system which will perform each of the following functions: